BUFFALO, NY — Officials at Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) applauded New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo for signing into law a measure that delays the age at which state residents can begin to expose themselves to indoor tanning.

Gov. Cuomo signed the legislation, which bans the use of ultraviolet (UV) radiation devices by those 16 and under, today. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Charles Fuschillo and Assemblyman Harvey Weisenberg, was approved in June by both houses of the New York State Legislature.

“Governor Cuomo wasted no time in putting his signature on this very important legislation, which we believe will have life-saving impact,” noted Roswell Park President and CEO Donald L. Trump, MD, FACP. “He, along with legislators across the state, recognized that these protections for our youngest and most vulnerable citizens are reasonable, necessary and long overdue.”

“Exposure to ultraviolet radiation is the most significant preventable risk factor for developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer,” said Nathalie Zeitouni, MD, Chief of Dermatologic Surgery at RPCI. “As use of indoor tanning devices has risen, so has the incidence of melanoma and other skin cancers. But this common-sense ban will help to reduce this troubling trend, starting with the age group where we can expect to see the greatest long-term impact.”

Roswell Park partnered with the American Cancer Society and the Western New York Cancer Coalition to advocate for the legislation.

The mission of Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) is to understand, prevent and cure cancer. RPCI, founded in 1898, was one of the first cancer centers in the country to be named a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and remains the only facility with this designation in Upstate New York. The Institute is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers; maintains affiliate sites; and is a partner in national and international collaborative programs. For more information, visit RPCI’s website at http://www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or email askrpci@roswellpark.org.